Haunted
by Number915
Summary: Ever feel like someone is watching you? After the events of a haunted crime scene changed the lives of two CSIs. Andy Stokes quickly finds out the nightmares aren't the only thing she has to be afraid of.
1. Intro Prologue

Summary: Ever felt like someone was watching you? What if there is? After the events of a haunted crime scene changed the lives of two CSIs. Andy quickly finds out the nightmares aren't the only thing they have to be afraid of.

Unfortunately I do not own CSI, but I hope you enjoy my story!

**A Haunted Crime: Nightmares and Daydreams**

**Chapter 1: Intro/Prologue**

**Intro**

For those of you that don't know me. My name is Andrea Stokes, or as I prefer to be called Andy. I am none other than the little sister of big shot CSI, Nick Stokes who, needless to say helped me get a job at the crime lab in Las Vegas, Nevada. Very different than my native Texas. I wouldn't say I'm anything spectacular, just your average joe trying to make a name for herself in the world. However, I can lift a print like no one's business. Of course thanks to my mentor Warrick Brown, who once said he could lift a print from air. Thickhead.

I've been in Vegas for one year, three weeks, and six days. I've worked on about thirty-two cases. I've ordered my overalls approximately seventeen times to no avail. I've hit someone in the head with a flashlight and got into a car accident with a co-worker. I have asthma that leaves me a fear of deep water, but most importantly, I worked in one haunted house. Yeah I know they don't exist…but they do. And because of that house I am literally terrified to go to fall asleep.

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**Prologue**

Andy Stokes laid in her queen sized bed, eyes wide open staring into the dark abyss of her bedroom. Being on the night shift took some getting used to but relocating her bedroom from the master suite with large beautiful bay windows on the top floor of her home, to the finished basement with a window smaller than her television was a nice way to get some sleep. Dark Black curtains hung in the tiny window to shield the daylight from leaking in leaving her room near pitch black. Unfortunately, her schedule wasn't the culprit keeping her up at night.

The first case Andy was assigned to her first day at LVPD was at a house that neither held any logical explanation, nor a solution to the ghastly murders that took place there. After the night shift was issued off the case because of an incident between Andy and a watching officer named Mark O'Brian, the day shift took over. And to this day, one year later, no one was charged with the murders of the four bodies found in the house that day.

Unable to fall asleep, Andy pushed the covers off her legs and headed to the bathroom. Flipping on the light, she squinted at her reflection in the mirror as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. Even through the blur she examined the bags under her eyes. She reached in the cabinet and pulled out the Nyquil and took a heavy dosage before replacing the medicine, turning off the light and plopping back down on her bed hoping sleep would overcome her.

The events that transpired in that haunted house, well…that she thought had transpired in that house, has haunted her dreams since. Fed up with being told she wasn't allowed back in the house, Andy tricked Greg Sanders into going back with her. Inside the house they experienced things they could only imagine being on the TV. That house put them threw hell, only to find out none of it actually happened.

Or did it…


	2. Habits

**A Haunted Crime: Nightmares and Daydreams**

**Chapter 2: Habits**

With her hands over her ears Andy ran with all her might to get away from the awful noise. She felt bad leaving Greg behind when she promised to not leave his side. But the sound was so harsh on her ear drums the only thing she could think to do was run. Turning the corner she felt her foot catch on something and she fell over landing on her stomach. Rows and rows of shelves lay before her, yet she stayed on the floor for lack of a better reason to get up. The noise stopped, all she could here was the sound of Greg's frantic footsteps, running throughout each isle looking for her. A faint yet distinct giggle came from somewhere above her head. She looked up to find a girl of about six years old. She had on a dark blue dress with four large while buttons on the chest and long billowy blonde hair. Andy could see completely through her. She stood up not taking her eyes off the translucent figure.

"Did you trip me?" Andy asked the girl.

The girl brought her tiny hand up to her mouth as she giggled, then nodded her head. Greg appeared at the end of the isle and yelled out for Andy to wait for him. But the little girl took off running down the isle and so did Andy.

Andy ran down the familiar isle's, chasing the little translucent six year old girl, who kept dodging her by running straight through the middle of the shelves. Andy ran harder and faster than she has ever run in her life. For a moment she thought she had finally got the little girl cornered, but once they got to the concrete wall, the little girl disappeared through the wall.

--

Andy awoke from that dream for what seemed like the hundredth time. Every time she gets closer to capturing the girl, but the closer she seems to get, the harder it is to run. Andy pushed the covers off her legs and swung them around to hang off the bed. She sat there rubbing the little bit of sleep she had from her eyes and looked at the clock. Five O'clock. She had one hour till she had to be at work.

Andy slid down off her bed and sent a shiver up her body as her feet touched the cold concrete floor. Andy, unlike the rest of her family, was a person of habit. She liked having structure and a plan for everything. Every day when she woke up she would walk into the bathroom, go number one, take a shower, examine the level of crap she looked like that day, brushed her teeth, feed her cat, eat a bowl of Captain Crunch, get dressed then leave the house locking the top lock as she exited. This habit seemed harder and harder to get through everyday, being that sleep doesn't come as easily as it once did. It had been about two weeks since Greg confronted her and told her they needed to go back to the house to make the nightmares stop, but something told her that going back was only going to make them worse.

She walked into the bathroom and immediately took to staring at her reflection. Her eyes were red with tired and the bags under them seem to get darker each day. She reached into the tub and turned on the cold water and undressed herself. She changed her habit to taking her showers every night before she fell asleep so she had more time in the mornings. Without turning on the hot water she stepped into the shower and sat down letting the freezing water wash over her body as a wake up call.

After several minutes, shivering like a mini seizure, she turned off the water and dried her self off with a towel. Feeling more awake she got dressed in her work clothes and threw her hair in a ponytail. Walking back out into her bedroom she noticed her cat, now laying on the warm spot she had once resided. "Lucky bastard." She said walking up the steps to the kitchen. She glanced at the clock on the microwave and it read five thirty-two. "Damn." Andy picked up the cat food and poured more than enough in Elvis's bowl and topped off the water. Glancing at the clock she wondered if she had enough time to eat a bowl of cereal. Deciding against it she grabbed two granola bars and left the house, only locking the bottom lock.

Andy made it to the lab with minutes to spare. Today was Andy's yearly review which she was not looking forward to. If she passed she would be giving credentials of CSI Level two. It came with a significant pay raise, but Warrick's idea of a review is looking over her shoulder every second, critiquing every move she makes. After stopping off at her locker she walked into the break room and headed straight for the coffee pot.

"Excuse me miss have you seen my sister."

"Shut up Nick." Andy retorted pouring herself a large cup of coffee and drinking it black. Nick was sitting at the table, newspaper spread out in front of him.

"You look like hell, I barely recognize you." He said, worry in his voice as she sat down across from him.

"I barely recognize myself." She admitted sipping on the hot liquid.

"You taking the sleeping pills." Nick asked with the same tone of worry. That was the only tone Andy heard from Nick now days.

"Yeah, but I think there just making it worse. It doesn't take away the fear. It just makes me more tired when I only get three hours of sleep." She said then covered her mouth while she yawned.

"Which one was it this time?"

"The little girl," Andy said rubbing her forehead. "I've had that same dream every night this week." The whole conversation Andy was looking in her coffee cup, but she knows her brother like the back of her hand. "Stop looking at me like that." Andy said still looking down.

"Like what?" Nick tried to play it off.

"Like I'm the victim, in one of our cases."

"I'm not looking at you like a victim."

"You look at me like you feel sorry for me." Andy said looking up at Nick for the first time. "This is hard enough without me having to see the pity in your eyes."

"I guess I just miss my sister. That's all." Andy looked up at Nick and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I miss her too." She said looking back down at her half empty cup. "I don't know what else to do."

"I think you know exactly what to do." Greg said entering the break room. Andy rolled her eyes and watched Greg walked over to the coffee counter.

"No one asked you Greg." Andy shot with distaste. Ever since the incident she distanced herself from Greg. Being around him made her think about the house, he made it feel real. Yet, not being around him made her feel empty and alone. He was her candy and her poison.

"It is the only solution." Greg shot back at her.

Deep inside Greg knew Andy associated him with what happened last year, but the way he sees it, _she_ tricked _him_ into going back to that house. Not the other way around. All he wanted was to have a nice breakfast to apologize for the rude comments he made in the locker room. They had gone through a lot of shit together in what they thought was the house, only to wake up and find out they had been in commas for a quarter of a week and it had all been in their head. Whether it actually happened or it was just figments of their imagination, it kept him awake at night and he just wanted it to end.

"What if going back there just makes everything worse?" Andy repeated for the billionth time.

"Do you really think it could get worse than it already is?" Nick asked with a serious tone, "What if I went with you?"

"No!" Andy protested. She glanced over her shoulder before leaning in toward Nick. "I am risking my job _thinking_ about going back to that place. I am not taking you down with me." Nick glanced from Greg to Andy then back to Greg.

"How you holding up?" Nick asked. Greg leaned against the counter holding a fresh cup of coffee. He too had bags under his eyes.

"I'm holding." Greg said. "It feels good to be able to talk about it ya know." The only people who knew about the dreams were the three people in that room and that's how they wanted it to stay.

"Hey Android, you ready?" Warrick said entering the room with a smile and rubbing his hands together.

"As I'll ever be." She said downing the last bit of her coffee.


	3. Back to Normal

**A Haunted Crime: Nightmares and Daydreams**

**Chapter 3: Back to Normal**

By the time Grissom came in the break room to hand out assignments, all six CSI's were sitting at the table waiting for the bossman to give them their assignments. Grissom walked in with his clip board in hand and looked at his team from the head of the table. To his left, Sara sat, a bright smile spread across her face. Greg sat behind her sitting down a section of the newspaper he took from Nick and Andy sat behind Greg at the very end of the table, her head resting on the top of the soda bottle she had bought from the vending machine. Across from Andy was Nick, who was looking over the sports section, Warrick sat in front of him reading the paper of his shoulder. Catherine sat at the head of the table across from Sara finishing up some paperwork.

"Nick and Catherine," Grissom started without hesitation, "I want you two at the Bellagio, we have a DB in the middle of the casino."

"You're kidding!" Nick said as Catherine took the white slip from Grissom.

"I don't kid. Warrick, Greg and Andy you have a double homicide." Grissom said handing Warrick a slip and the clip board. "I want this filled out and handed to me by the close of the case." He gave Andy a look before starting again, "And Sara you're with me."

The CSI's all stood up to depart to their various crime scenes when, "Andy may I speak with you a moment." Andy froze half way from getting up from her chair then sat back down.

"I'll meet you at the car." She told Warrick

"I won't keep her long." Grissom assured Warrick. When the break room was cleared of everyone except the two of them Grissom started. "Is their something I should know?"

"I'm not sure I understand." Andy said genuinely confused.

"You look like you haven't slept in months."

"It takes a while to become nocturnal." Andy joked but her smile was humorless. Grissom noticed but decided it better to play ignorant for the time being.

"I'm going to postpone your proficiency."

"It's not affecting my work."

"Not yet." Grissom retorted, "I think you should give this guy a try." He slid a small business card across the table. Andy picked up the card then looked at Grissom with unease.

"I don't need to see a shrink. I don't have problems." She lied

"Maybe not but he's actually a personal friend of mine, he can give you some tips on how to trick your body into thinking its night out when you sleep." Andy looked at the card then back up at Grissom, her unease turned to intrigue.

"You can do that?" Andy asked feeling like an ignorant child, but who doesn't feel like an ignorant child around Grisson.

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Grissom left Andy in the break room with her thoughts.

--

Warrick, Greg and Andy all piled into the Denali and took of for their scene. Andy sat in the back seat by herself looking out the window. Warrick always insisted on driving when ever he was on a case. So Andy always insists on brining up uncomfortable conversations in retaliation. "Doesn't anyone find it weird that Grissom always pairs himself with Sara?" When neither Greg nor Warrick answered Andy continued, "You think they do it?"

"Oh god," Greg said pushing the thought of his boss and his ex crush out of his head.

"That's not an image I want in my head." Warrick said keeping his eyes on the road. Andy shrugged her shoulders and continued to stare out the window.

"Then let me drive." She offered with a smile. Greg silently laughed at her determination.

"There is not an ice balls chance in hell I'm going to let a Stokes drive me anywhere." Warrick retorted, Andy rolled her eyes and Greg let out a sarcastic 'uh-ho' knowing Andy wasn't going to let that one slide.

"I am such a better driver than Nick!" Andy defended herself.

"You crashed your car into a tree."

"Hey! Low blow man, that wasn't my fault! Someone threw a brick at my windshield." Andy said pointing at him through the rear view mirror.

"You're right that was a low blow…fine you want the truth."

"Nothing but."

"Alright," Warrick gave in. Greg tilted his body in the passenger seat to get a better angle on Warrick.

"I get car sick." Warrick confessed

"Bullshit." Andy retorted unconvinced, and Greg turned around in his seat shaking his head not believing Warrick either.

"I'm serious! I need to focus on something or else it makes my stomach upset." Warrick cleared. "Your brothers lead foot was enough to clear my stomach contents for the week." Andy snorted and returned to looking out the window.

Arriving at the scene Warrick, Greg and Andy got out of the car, grabbed their kits and headed up the walkway to the house. "I mean even the way he looks at her suggests there's something going on." Andy said continuing the debate on whether or not Sara and Grissom are secretly dating.

"Andy, get your head in the game." Warrick said to her just before entering the house.

"Okay."

"Warrick one, Andy zero." Greg whispered as he walked into the house, receiving a 'shush up' from Andy. "Wow" Greg said taking in the state of the place.

"Hey Jim," Warrick greeted walking up to where Detective Jim Brass stood next to one of the bodies.

"Hey Rick, Greg, Andy." He greeted "We got two female DB's and no obvious physical evidence." Andy surveyed the all white living room and decided to take Brass's word on it.

"Whoa, who's that guy." Andy asked pointing to a man dressed to the nines in a white suit, with blood covering a majority of the fabric. He was standing talking to two police officers about 20 feet away.

"That is Mr. Pedro Sanchez, owner of the house." Brass answered

"What does he have to say?" Warrick asked

"Nothing, he says he picked up the girls off the street, went to the bathroom and came back to this."

"Does he own cattle, cause I smell bullshit." Andy said taking in the living room. The three men shared a stifled laugh before she continued. "Look at this place. The only thing out of place here are the dead bodies lying on the floor. The blood pools are even contained."

"Yeah, a man with this kind of money wouldn't settle for street girls." Greg agreed, "I'll go talk to him."

"Greg, get fingerprints and DNA while you're at it." Warrick instructed. Greg nodded, then walked over to the blood covered man.

"Andy you take the first body I'll take this one."

"Okay." Andy walked over to the blonde girl and sat her kit on the coffee table. She could hear the faint murmer of Warrick and Brass talking about how the victims were currently Jane Doe's but stopped listening after that. The girl was lying face down, in the nude, between the coffee table and the couch. A perfect circle of blood soaked into the carpet; looked as if it had come from her mouth.

"Talk to me Andy." Warrick called from kneeling next to his dead body, six feet away. Andy snapped out of her trance.

"Grissom said he postponed my proficiency."

"I know but being prepared never hurt no one." Warrick said, Andy rolled her eyes.

"Well, she's nude…I don't see any physical signs of death from the back side but I can't move her until Superdave comes." Andy said checking the girl out from the back of her head to the heel of her foot. She pushed the hair out of the girls face when Warrick brought her out of her concentration once again.

"Andy…" She took a deep breath before continuing.

"She looks as if she was bleeding from the mouth, possibly poisoning, but the blood pool looks way to perfect." Andy opened her kit and pulled out two swabs, and lifted a sample of the perfect blood pool and a sample from inside the woman's mouth.

"Andy I need to know what you are doing." Warrick said examining the hair of his girl. She took a large frustrated breathe before continuing.

"I opened my kit, extracted two cotton swabs from the lower left compartment of the third tier…"

"Andy," Warrick warned

"I lifted a sample of the supposed blood pool, and one of the blood in the victims mouth. So we can compare the DNA and see if the blood pool is in fact a pool of her blood." She said with annoyance in every syllable.

"Hey sorry I'm late." David said walking into the living room.

"Don't apologize for doing your job David." Warrick assured him for what felt like the millionth time. He knelt down next to the half naked body. "Flip her for me." David flipped the body over to reveal nothing useful. Andy aimed her flashlight at Warricks victim and then looked up at the man Greg was talking to, then back down to her victim. She repeated this process several times.

"Superdave can you flip the second victim please." David walked over and flipped the naked woman from her stomach to her back which also revealed nothing special, other than a red tint to David's face. "Super you've been around more naked bodies than every man I know put together and you still blush?" She whispered as he smiled making his cheeks redder with embarrassment. "Prude" She added with a small smile before standing up from her knelt position and walking between both victims.

"What ya got cooking Andy?" Warrick asked curious seeing the smoke coming from her ears.

"Look at the blood pool from your vic…now look at the perfect blood pool of my vic…now feast your eyes on 'Mr. I Was in the Bathroom' over there. There is way too much blood on his clothes for how little blood there is on the actual victims."

"Meaning?" Warrick quizzed her

"The deaths didn't happen in this room."

"Good job, now go find out where it did happen." Warrick instructed her writing something on the clipboard. Andy walked about five steps toward the doorway for the kitchen when Brass stopped her.

"Andy." Brass called, "How…how was the game last night?" Andy's eyes met Brass's with a look of understanding.

"Knocked 'em dead." She said looking around before walking into the kitchen. Warrick eyed the retreating back of Andy, knowing full well there was no game last night. He met Brass's eyes for a moment and then got back to the victim.


	4. The Choice is Yours

**A Haunted Crime: Nightmares and Daydreams**

**Chapter 4: The Choice is Yours**

Several minutes had passed since Andy left Warrick in the living room with the two dead girls. She walked into the kitchen expecting not to find anything…she was right. Everything in the kitchen, like the living room, was white. She worked her way around the large sink looking for any trace of…well, anything. Even a water spot would have made this seem less pointless than it already was.

"Any luck?" Greg said from behind Andy, making her jump.

"Jesus, Greg." She said putting a hand on her heart.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He said trying to hide his smile, but failing horribly.

"No luck here," She said calming her nerves, "What about blood bath over there?" She asked pointing to the man in the, use to be, white suit.

"Nothing special, he said he picked up the girls expecting a good time free of charge of course, and told them to leave when they demanded money."

"You know what they say about a man with a big house…he has an ego to match."

"Yeah well he also said he went to the bathroom and came back to them both naked and dead."

"This whole house is bull shi…jackpot!" Andy pulled a swab out of her case and dabbed it in the small drop of red that was on the corner of the white microwave. She squirted her solution on the tip only for it to come up negative for blood. "Damn it!" Greg smiled adding to her frustration.

She stormed into the living room where Warrick was still processing the two bodies. Warrick, his mind automatically jumping to conclusions, stood up way too fast. "I give up!" Megan said taking off her latex gloves and throwing them down on the coffee table. "This place is immaculate. There's not even a dirty dish in the sink."

"We still have to look." Warrick said letting out the breath he had been holding and kneeled down next to the body again.

"I'm going to go _look_ outside." Megan picked up her gloves and shoved them into the back pocket of her pants and pulled out a fresh pair from the top flap pocket of her vest.

"Be careful." Warrick said eyeing her down. As a response, without saying a word Andy placed her hand on the newly issued 9mm that was secured by her hip. That didn't make Warrick feel better but Brass let out a small sigh of relief.

Andy walked out the back door shinning the small flashlight down at the locks. No sign of forced entry. She walked out further onto the large deck and down into the dark yard. The back yard itself was about two and a half times the size of Andy's whole property.

She walked around for several minutes shinning her light on anything and everything. She reached the far end of the yard with nothing to show for it. Instead of fences securing their proptery, there were giant bushes about a foot taller than her enclosing the back yard. She used the back of her hand to wipe sweat from her forehead.

"Well, well, well." Said a familiar voice from behind her. The sound of his voice made her pulse race and her breath uneven. "If it isn't my favorite person." She turned around to see a man of about 5'8 standing closer than she would have liked. He had shaggy brown hair and brown eyes to die for. A small scar resided on his left temple that she could just barely see in the moonlight.

"Fancy meeting you here O'Brian." She said with no humor, yet it made him crack a small smile. "You don't happen to have a Mag-lite I can borrow, do you?"

"Actually, it's funny you mention that." He walked toward her slowly stopping only three feet from where she stood. In his hands was a large black heavy duty Mag-lite. Andy eyed his hands carefully trying to decide if this was a threat or if he was just messing with her.

"I'm not afraid of you." She lied. Andy had always considered herself tough, but this guy held the leash to the hounds that wanted a piece of her entire family.

"Than why are you are resorting to using code." he said, the smile getting bigger.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"So Andy, how _was_ the game yesterday?" When Andy didn't give him a response he walked up the three steps and stood 3 feet away from her. "Don't look at me like it wasn't obvious. You froze like a bitch when Brass asked you that."

Andy didn't know what to do. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place, or rather a mad man, whom she attacked about a year ago, and a giant bush. She glanced behind O'Brian to see if there was anyone else in the yard. There wasn't.

"There aren't any witnesses I can assure you. You see the people you trust with your life, their friends of mine." He said taking a step closer. "And if you think that a Police Officer is going to side with a CSI…" He place two fingers on the patch attached to the left breast of her vest. Andy quickly jumped back, what little room she had, and pulled her gun from the holster but kept it aimed at the ground.

"Don't touch me." She said franticly.

"You were just issued that gun three weeks ago, I doubt you can even hit me." He poked fun at her.

"You want to test me?" She pulled her gun up and aimed it at his chest, her hands shaking disrupting her aim.

In one quick second, O'Brian lurched forward and grabbed the gun from Andy's hands with ease. But instead of using it against her he threw it to the side and pushed her up against the large bush, a small twig scraped her cheek. His hand under her chin holding her face so she was looking at him.

"Do you really think a gun is going to save you from me? You have no protection," He lifted the mag-lite and held it to her temple sliding it down her face like a caressing hand of a lover. "You owe me." He said in a soft voice.

"I don't owe you shit."

"You cracked my skull with a flashlight and I dropped all the charges. You got away with assaulting a police officer without even a slap on the wrists. I didn't even file a restraining order against you."

"You threatened my family." She said trying to push him back. He pushed her harder against the bush, the twigs poking painfully at her back.

"You're lucky I like you, otherwise you'd be dead already." O'Brian said to Andy

"What is that supposed to mean?" Andy said, her blood starting to boil.

"It means what it means."

"Is it a threat?"

O'Brian just smiled. "Look because I'm such a nice guy I'm going to give you a choice. It's either going to be you or Nick. Hell I'm going to throw Greggo in there for good measure. It's your choice."

"If you touch either one of them I swear to god I will kill you myself."

"We'll see about that." He leaned in and kissed Andy on the forehead. "I'll be seeing you around." Mark O'Brian let go of Andy and began walking toward the house but stopped about eight feet away and turned back around. "Oh and one more thing, when I call on you, it'd be in your best interest to answer it."

Mark O'Brian turned again and walked to the house, this time without stopping.


	5. The Red Carpet

**A Haunted Crime: Nightmare and Daydreams**

**Chapter 5: The Red Carpet **

Andy didn't immediately follow Mark O'Brian across the yard. She walked around waiting for her heartbeat to return to a normal steady beat before entering the house. As she walked she debated on whether it would be a good idea to tell someone or a better idea to keep her mouth shut. Mark O'Brian was a touchy subject with everyone, but mostly with Nick. The one person Andy has never had to think twice about was now the one person she didn't want to open up to.

On Andy's first day, the first person to catch her eye was none other than that of Greg Sanders, sliding across the break room because he was soaked from head to foot. They became close very quickly yet now, they barely even spoke anymore. That was mostly on her part, she takes the blame. But in her defense it has been so hard to look him in his eyes only to see a reflection of hers: Exhaustion. Weakness. Frustration.

After 'The Incident', as it's known to be called, Andy took the blame of what had happened. She was the one driving, she was the one with the ulterior motive to taking Greg out to 'breakfast'. It was her car that wrapped around the tree and it was her window that gave Greg the nastiest bump on his head. Even when the bump healed and disappeared she couldn't bring herself to look at him and not see the bruises she had caused. She found any excuse to keep him away from her. The further away he was the less she could hurt him. But what she didn't know was pushing him away was one of the worst things she could do.

The odd part about the whole thing is even a year after the nightmares are just as vivid as when they started. Even odder, Greg shared almost all of her nightmares. Walking around the yard she came to the conclusion that it was time to reconcile with Greg, she needed someone to talk to and so did he…and she knew he would never turn her down. No matter her selfishness, Greg would always be there. And for that she was thankful.

Still shaking, Andy took two deep breathes, crossed the deck and entered the house.

"Nothing outside." She yelled to no one in general, trying to act casual as she walked back into the spare room. "Oh shit!"

Warrick ran into the spare room, gun at the ready. Greg following close behind him. Greg couldn't help but snicker at the sight in front of him. Andy laid spread out on the floor, a large wrinkle in the rug near her feet.

'You okay?" Warrick asked smiling at his klutzy co worker.

"Yeah, I think I got rug burn on my forehead."

"Hey, check it out." Greg said walking to the edge of the rug that was flipped. He picked up the corner of the area rug and pulled it back revealing a very large red stain on the white carpet underneath.

"Holy smokes!" Andy said helping Greg pull the area rug back.

"You know, this isn't the first time your clumsiness solved a case." Greg stated shooting her a million dollar smile.

"It's a gift!" She joked returning the smile.

--

Three weeks had past since that confrontation with O'Brian. It scares her just as much as it relieves her that he manages to stay away for small periods of time. It relieves her because she didn't have to deal with him but it scares her because she didn't know what he was planning. Each day her and Greg talked more and more which made her conscious clear slowly, but surely. It was the beginning of shift when Andy walked into the locker room where Warrick was running a bit late as well.

"Hey Rick." She said stopping at her locker which was three down from Warrick.

"Whoa! Look at you, you look good Stokes." Warrick said. As a matter of fact Andy was looking very good. The bags under her eyes were almost completely gone and the Stokes sparkle was back in her eyes. She was back to be the lovable, annoying and sometimes over dramatic Andy Stokes. Warrick didn't know the specifics as to why Andy hadn't been sleeping well but anyone with enough common sense could tell the girl was suffering from insomnia.

"Why thank you, I've actually been getting sleep. I feel awesome!" She said whiping her jacket off and throwing it in the bottom of her locker. Warrick noticed something fall out of one of her pockets but didn't have enough time to tell her because no sooner as her locker shut she said, "I'm ready to fight some crime!" and walked out of the locker room like a super hero looking to save the city.

Warrick smiled and shook his head at the burst of energy; it was nice seeing the old Andy back and in action. And it was nice to have the old Nick coming back as well. Nick took Andy's situation pretty bad, what older brother wouldn't.

Warrick looked on the ground to find what had dropped from Andy's jacket and noticed a small cardboard box from under the bench. He stared at the box with disbelief and pity, when Nick walked in the locker room.

"Hey man." Nick stopped at his locker looking a bit down. "You see Andy yet today?" He sounded nervous.

"Uh yeah. She's in a pretty good mood."

"Really? We got into a pretty big fight yesterday."

"Uh-oh"

"Yeah I slipped up and accidentally told my brother about O'Brian and the flashlight. She won't speak to me."

"Damn, does your father know?"

"Not yet, but now that Jamie knows my dad is going to find out." Nick said shutting his locker. "I have the temper, Andy has stubbornness, and Jamie has the big mouth."

"Hey Nick," Warrick said catching Nick before he started to leave. "Look man, I don't want to add to your problems but I think there's something you should know, about Andy."

"What is it?" Warrick placed the small box in Nick's hand.

"I saw this drop out of Andy's jacket pocket."

"You sure it's hers?"

"I'm positive." Nick sat down on the bench, his semi-decent mood gone to hell.


	6. Mary Jane

**A Haunted Crime: Nightmares and Daydreams**

**Chapter 6: Mary Jane**

Andy was standing at the fridge when Nick walked in the break room. It was now the end of shift and he had been holding it in all night. Finally getting her alone he decided now was the best time to confront her about what Warrick has brought to his attention. He stood directly behind her, not knowing if she knew he was there, and started talking.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Nick asked as Andy as was getting her yogurt from the fridge. Without saying a word she shut the fridge and brought her yogurt over to the table and started to peel away the foil. "Still not talking to me?" He asked. He let her take three bites of her yogurt before starting his argument. "What's wrong Andy? Got the munchies?" She looked up at him with a shocked and confused expression, but then looks back down at her yogurt and takes another small bite.

"You better start talking to me god dammit." Nick's temper was rising but Andy didn't care, or she was a really good actor. Truth is she was getting tired of Nick trying to control every aspect of her life. She took another small bite of her yogurt when Nick snapped. He grabbed her yogurt, barely half eaten, from in front of her and tossed it into the trash can. She jumped at his sudden movement but still didn't show anger, only annoyance.

"I wasn't done with that." She said in an even, apathetic tone.

"Not my problem." He spat. He pulled the packet of filters from his pocket and placed them in front of her. Her eyes dart automatically to them and slight realization struck her. "Why were these in your pocket?" Andy looked confused as hell as to how this happened, so Nick elaborated. "Warrick saw this fall out of your pocket at the beginning of shift."

"There screens for smoking tobacco…"

"Do I look like I have stupid written on my forehead." Nick yelled

"There not mine…"

"Do. Not. Lie to me." He spoke as if each word were and individual sentence. "Have you ever come to work high?"

"Jesus, Nick." She rolled her eyes her voice starting to get louder. "NO. You're blowing this way out of proportion."

"Hey Nick, I was just…" Warrick said walking into the room. "Oh, I'll come back."

"No no, you have just as much influence on this as I do." Warrick felt uncomfortable but walked in and closed the door behind him. He locked eyes with Andy and immediately felt guilty about not confronting her first.

"This is bull shit, I'm outta here." She said standing up form the table.

"Sit down!" Nick yelled, "I'm not done with you." She obliged but looked up at Warrick.

"You couldn't keep your mouth shut could you?" She spat at him shaking her head.

"I am so disappointed in you." Nick said sitting in the chair in front of her. Warrick just stood near the door his hands in his pocket.

"Look, it's not that big of a deal. It's not like its addictive or anything, its just pot. I only do it because it helps me sleep. Never before work, only three times a week. I don't even do it on on-call days, just in case."

"I don't give a shit! I don't like it!"

"The sleeping pills don't work." Andy said, her eyes building up wetness. "What the hell else am I supposed to do?" The desperation in her voice would have made Nick fall to his knees if he hadn't sat down

"There has got to be another way." Warrick stated from the doorway.

"I'm all ears. Just give me another option that works."

"Andy, I can't approve of this." Nick said running his fingers through his hair. "It's great having you back but this is just wrong."

"You gonna report me?" She asked

"No," Nick answered as if her were insulted she even thought otherwise, "but you need to stop."

"Nick,"

"Andy, don't argue with me. You're not going to win this time. Nothing you say is gonna make me okay with all this."

"What so you want me to stop smoking and go back to the never awake, never asleep, half dead version of myself."

"Promise me you'll stop." Nick said. When Andy didn't say anything he repeated, "Promise me."

"I promise." Andy said defeated.

"Thank you. You're better than this Andy."

"I'm glad someone thinks so."

"Come on, don't be like that. Meet me at my truck I'll take you out for breakfast." Nick said and Andy got up and walked out the break room, but not before giving Warrick a 'I'm going to rip you a new one' look.

Nick rubbed his eyes then pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes. He picked up the small box and stared at it for a moment. "You okay man?" Warrick asked. Nick looked uncertain; first it looked as if he was going to shake his head, then at last minute threw in a shoulder shrug. He stood up from his chair and faced Warrick.

"Part of me is wishing you wouldn't have told me." Nick looked up and met Warrick eyes

"I'm sorry, I didn't even have time to think about it before you walked in the locker room…"

"Naw, don't be stupid Warrick. You meant well, I know that. You're a good person."

"I'm glad someone thinks so." Warrick said quoting Andy. They both shared a small laugh.

Nick walked over to the trash can and made as if he was going to throw the screens away but stopped himself. He just stared at his hand and his bottom lip started to quiver ever so slightly. "I did the right thing, right?" She asked Warrick.

"You're questioning whether or not telling your sister to stop doing drugs was the right thing?"

"Sometimes doing the right, aint' doing the right thing. It is just weed."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think I can take seeing her go back to the way she was man." Nick said, his breathing starting to stagger.

"Nicky, if she keeps doing this and someone finds out she could get fired."

"Yeah you're right." Nick said throwing the box in the trash. "We'll find something to help her."

--

Nick walked to his locker and cleaned it out of the dirty laundry to take home and wash. He walked down the halls, duffle bag in hand, saying goodnight to his fellow night shift comrades, and good morning to the day shift that was just coming in. He noticed Andy walking by the AV lab and had to double back.

"Hey kiddo you ready?" Nick called at the doorway. Andy turned around and gave her brother a small smile.

"Actually I'm going to need to take a rain check. I'm going to stay for a bit and help Archie clean up some photos so he can leave before our next shift starts." She managed a little laugh.

"Alright, well call me later." Andy nodded with the same small smile before Nick started making his way back down the hall.

When Nick was out of sight Andy entered the AV lab. "You Jackass." She greeted.

"What I do?" Archie said alarmed at her tone.

"You owe me so big." She said in a low voice leaning on the counter putting her head in her hands. "You have no idea how big you owe me right now." She pinched the area between her eyes.

"I don't like the sound of that and whenever you pinch the bridge of your nose I know it's bad." Archie said. Andy took another glance behind her before continuing.

"I thought you stopped that shit?" Andy asked looking directly at Archie. Archie's face went black, except for his eyes which opened wider. He knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Well I…"

"Don't lie to me Archie. You dropped a pack of screens in the locker room. And when I dropped a pack of gum Warrick found your screens instead, and went to Nick."

"Oh my god! I'm going to get fired."

"Did you not hear what I just said? Warrick didn't find my gum, he thinks the screens are mine." She said

"Why would…"

"And if you want to keep your job I suggest it stay that way."

"What about you?"

"They've given me an ultimatum. I have two weeks to 'get clean' or their going to report me."

"I'm so sorry."

"I know you are Archie, but I can't believe your still doing that stuff man."

"I cut back a lot." She stated

"Cutting back at all would be cutting back a lot." Andy stated.

"Yeah." Archie agreed embarrassed at himself. "You're looking good."

"Don't start Archie."

"I'm just stating the obvious. You don't look like death anymore, you look like before."

"Thanks, I guess."

"He's a lucky guy." Archie said out of the blue but Andy knew what he was talking about.

"And to think you could've been the lucky guy."

"I was the lucky guy but I let the luck slip right through my fingers. Lost one of the best things in my life."

"Well, you lost one of the best things because you refused to give up one of your favorite things." Andy said only stating the truth, "When you do that stuff you change into a completely different person. A person I couldn't stand being around."

"Yeah well it's hard when your roommates are stoners…"

"Don't even, you are the only one to blame for losing 'this'." She comically gestured to herself when she said 'this'.

"I guess I'll just have to hate myself for the rest of my life then." He joked, but it still hurt him to talk about it.

"Yeah right, wait till summer. You'll meet some cut little surfer chick and forget all about me."

"I doubt it. But it's a nice thought."

"Look, I know you may think I hate your guts, I did for a while, but it wouldn't be the same here without you. Don't screw it up."

With that Andy left Archie in the AV lab and walked in the locker room to see Greg fishing dirty clothes out of his locker and stuffing them into his back pack. "Hey." He greeted as she walked in.

"Long shift!" Andy said walking to her locker.

"You can say that again." Greg said

"Loooong shift." Andy said then smiled at Greg who returned a smile.

"Breakfast is on me!" Greg offered

"Greggo you read my mind."

**xoxoxo**

**I 3 Reviews so let me know what you think so far.**


	7. What Dreams May Come

**A Haunted Crime: Nightmares and Daydreams**

**Chapter 7: What Dreams May Come**

Greg stood by a large tree in the front yard of a personal residence with his clipboard in hand documenting a mysterious substance on the bark. Catherine was kneeling down to his far left examining some footprints in the soil. She looked up at Greg and noticed a distant look in his eyes.

"Got something on your mind Greggo?" Catherine asked the younger CSI. "Or Someone?" She added with a smile.

"What...I have no idea what you are talking about." Greg answered unconvincingly.

"How was breakfast?" She asked with a smirk.

"It was just breakfast." Greg lied, smiling but not taking his eyes off his clipboard.

Before Catherine could say another word a black Denali pulled up in front of the house. Grissom, Sara and Andy stepped out of the large vehicle and started walking up to the yard. Catherine noticed Greg's eyes shoot to Andy and his cheeks flushed red.

"Just breakfast my ass." She muttered to Greg before heading toward Grissom.

"What's the problem?" Grissom called out to her as he walked up the concrete steps. "I got a call from Brass telling me you needed extra hands." Grissom said walking up to the yard.

"Yeah well our single turned into a double." Catherine answered. Grissom's face looked of mild shock. "My thoughts exactly." She replied to his expression.

"Okay, Sara and I will take the 2nd floor. Cath you can take the 1st floor. Greg, take Andy and check out the garage and the perimeter."

"Thank you." Catherine said before picking up her kit and followed Sara and Grissom into the house.

"Hi," Andy said shyly tucking her hair behind her ear with her free hand.

"Hey," Greg said making eye contact with her. The grin on their faces could be seen from outer space. "You ready?" She nodded.

About 20 minutes passed, Greg and Andy didn't talk much but they had most of the garage finished. Greg walked back out in the yard when Andy walked up to a deep freezer that sat in the corner and noticed a bloody fingerprint. She snapped a picture, the flash caught Greg's attention.

"Did you find something?" Greg yelled from the yard. His voice made her heart jump.

"Yeah," she said sitting the camera down and pulling out lift tape from her kit. "Bloody finger print."

"Nice."

She took a deep breath and placed her hands on the freezer door and pulled up.

"Greg!" Andy screamed. "We need a medic. She's alive." Greg ran up to the edge of the garage to see Andy Pulling a little girl out of the freezer. She sat on the ground holding the girl in her arms. Greg took his jacket off and laid it over the little girl. "We need blankets." With that Greg ran into the house and almost knocked down Catherine in the process. He ran up the steps two at a time and into the room Grissom and Sara were processing. Greg grabbed the blanket off the bed.

"Greg?" Grissom look confused.

"Andy…little girl…freezer." Is all Greg could get out between breaths. He took off down the steps and the 2 remaining CSI's followed. When they reached the garage they heard Catherine on the radio calling for paramedics and Andy was sitting on the ground. Greg ran over to her blankets in his hands. "Greg," she whispered when he got close, "…It's her." Greg looked down and shock was sent through his whole body. He was looking at the little girl from his and Andy's reoccurring nightmare, the one Andy believed she had chased when she was in the coma. Snapping out of his shock he started wrapping the blanket around Andy and the little girl.

"Your body heat will help." Greg answered Andy's confused look.

"Jenny," Andy said looking down at the little girl. "This is my friend Greg."

"Hi Jenny, that a really pretty name." He said sitting down in front of Andy. Jenny smiled up at Greg. Sara ran back out of the house.

"There are no pictures of any little kids in the house." Andy looked back down at the girl.

"Hey Jenny, do you live here?" She shook her head. "Do you know who lives here?"

"My Auntie Carla." she managed to say in a slight whisper.

"Where's your mommy at Jenny?"

"My mommy and daddy went to a ball." She muttered between shattering teeth.

"Is anyone writing this down?" Greg asked

"What's your mommy and daddy's name?" Andy asked

"Mary and David"

"Do you know your last name?"

"Black" Andy looked up as Grissom who was writing down the names.

"What is it Andy?" Grissom asked.

"The trio from the abandoned house last year, their last name was Black," Andy stated

"That's a common name." Grissom stated. Andy glanced at Greg who looked just as freaked out as she did. It couldn't have been just a coincidence.

"How you hanging in there Jenny?" There wasn't a response and Jenny's eyes started to close. "No! Jenny…Jenny sweetheart you have stay awake for me okay." Andy started rubbing the little girl's arms.

"I want my mommy." The little girl started to cry and Andy's eyes started to water.

"I know you do sweetheart, I know. But you can't go to sleep right now; you have to keep talking to me okay. Because the doctors are on there way and they are going to make you feel all better but you have to stay awake so they can say hi to you. Okay?" Jenny nodded. "Then we are going to call your mommy and daddy…" the little girl cut her off but she couldn't make out what she said. "What jenny?"

"Fluffy, I want fluffy."

"Who is fluffy?

"My new kitty, she has lots of fur. Do you have a kitty?"

"Yes I do. But Jenny I don't know what to name it. Can you help me pick out a name?"

"Sure," The girl's spirits brightened. Sara, Catherine, Grissom and Greg all smiled, because they knew that Andy, just like her brother Nick, did not like cats.

"How about Jenny?" Greg chimed in.

"No," Jenny replied with a smile, "That's my name."

"What about…Greg, should I name it Greg."

"No," she managed with a small giggle, "That's his name." She pointed her finger at Greg.

The siren from the Ambulance grew louder as it rode up the street. Andy huddled the girl closer to her and Greg reached in and placed his hands over Jenny's ears. When the sirens went off 2 Paramedics jumped out of the back and pulled the stretcher out with a warming blanket on the top. The first paramedic pulled the bed blanket off and Jenny grabbed onto Andy. "Jenny its okay, these are my friends," Andy squinted at there name tags. "This is Alice, and…Phillip. There my doctor friends and they are going to make you feel all better. So you can go home to fluffy, okay?"

"Okay." the grip Jenny had on Andy loosened slightly and Alice pulled Jenny onto the stretcher and placed the heated blanket over top of her. Andy walked to the left side next to her holding her hand and Greg walked to the right, as the medics pushed the stretcher to the edge of the ambulance.

"I'm going to see you at the hospital, but right now you have to take care of my friends okay. And keep thinking about a name for my kitty." With a small nod form Jenny they pulled the stretcher into the back and drove away, sirens blaring. Andy watched as the light faded out of sight. She started breathing deep slow breaths. Her knees buckled from underneath her and Grissom being the closest to her, grabbed her and pulled her to him, falling to the ground with her. She let her emotions go and cried harder then she had in a long time.

"Hey, hey. You saved her life."

They arrived at the hospital and a nurse assisted Andy and Greg to jenny's room. Andy ran to the bathroom first. As Greg walked in he saw Jenny's parents standing next to her.

"Hey Gorgeous," Greg said looking at Jenny when he walked in. Jenny's father, David, walked around and shook Greg's hand.

"You must be Andy, son I don't know how to ever repay you."

"No, I'm…"

"She won't stop talking about you." Her mother, Mary, said standing next to her husband.

"I'm flattered but no, I'm Greg Sanders. I helped Andy, but…there's the real hero." Greg pointed over David's shoulder to Andy who was standing in the doorway. "She saved your daughter's life."

"Oh no I'm not taking all the glory." Andy smiled as stood next to Greg, who put his arm around her.

"ANDY!" Jenny yelled from her bed.

"Hey Champ, how ya feeling?"

"Harry Potter."

"What?" Andy laughed.

"That's what you should name your cat." Jenny said her voice much better then the whisper from the garage.

"That sounds like a perfect name! Harry Potter it is."

"I don't know how to thank you." Mary said looking at the CSI's with sincerity in her eyes.

--

Standing in the parking lot of the hospital, Andy turned around and leaned against the Denali and looked at Greg. "I don't know how to process all of this." Greg walked up and stood in front of her. "I mean you saw her, it was her. How…"

"Stop!" Greg demanded. Andy couldn't put words to her confusion. She just looked down at her feet. Greg placed his hand under her chin and tilted her head back up to where they made eye contact. "You just saved a little girls life."

"I know but…"

"What did we talk about yesterday?" Greg asked

"Look, about yesterday…"

"No!" Greg said sternly; Andy jumped at his tone. "You're not doing this to me Andy."

"Greg it was nice but I can't…"

"You can't what..."Greg cut her off, "Be happy with me?" he was getting annoyed.

"It's not you! I just don't think I can deal with this," She pointed from herself to Greg, "right now. On top of everything else."

"Really? How did you sleep last night Andy?" Greg asked knowing the answer to the question. She looked away from him looking ashamed.

"No nightmares." She answered

"Then what's the problem?"

"I don't deserve you Greg. I feel horrible for the way I treated you after the accident but now that I need you, I feel so selfish and…"

"What did you say?" Greg asked wondering if he was hearing things.

"I need you." She said in a small voice.


End file.
